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With Florida’s tourist-powered economy in a tailspin, Gov. Ron DeSantis has been forced to the frontlines of the fight against the coronavirus, desperately seeking to stop a looming massive loss of jobs and tax collections that fuel state programs.

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With Florida’s tourist-powered economy in a tailspin, Gov. Ron DeSantis has been forced to the frontlines of the fight against the coronavirus, desperately seeking to stop a looming massive loss of jobs and tax collections that fuel state programs.

Time is a factor — and he’s already hearing from industries staggered by the widespread shutdowns.

“He gets it. The goal is, if we can stop the bleeding a little bit while the federal government readies a stimulus package, most will make it,” said Carol Dover, longtime president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

“I was here for 9/11 and for the housing crisis. But for our industry, this is far, far worse,” she said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a press conference to address the latest updates on how COVID-19 is impacting Florida and what steps his team is taking to prevent the spread of the virus, Friday, March 20, 2020. (Photo: Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat)

DeSantis on Friday toughened an earlier order that closed bars and cut restaurant seating in half by now limiting restaurants solely to take-out orders, while also closing gyms and fitness centers across the state. The coronavirus restrictions further hammer the hospitality and tourism industries, which serve as the cornerstone of the state’s economy.

Attempting to soften the impact, DeSantis so far has enacted a $50 million Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program, which allows companies with anywhere from two to 100 employees to apply for short-term loans of as much as $50,000.

DeSantis also plans to waive the requirement that people out of work contact at least five possible employers during a week to receive unemployment benefits capped at $275 weekly, among the lowest levels in the nation.

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As the nation is practicing social distancing in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, many are still flocking to Florida beaches. Here’s a look at our beaches during the COVID-19 pandemic. Andrew West/The News-Press

Pinki Khatri (left) and Vivek Gahlawat take photos at dawn Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. There was lots of room to spread out for “social distancing” at the beach during concerns about the coronavirus. Will Dickey/Florida Times-Union

A walker gets a stunning view at dawn Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. There was lots of room to spread out for “social distancing” at the beach during concerns about the coronavirus. Will Dickey/Florida Times-Union

Beach walkers enjoyed cool temperatures at dawn Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. There was lots of room to spread out for “social distancing” at the beach during concerns about the coronavirus. Will Dickey/Florida Times-Union

Visitors to the Fort Myers Beach pier and Times Square on Fort Myers Beach take in a sunset on Monday, March 16, 2020. The large groups are starting to thin out because of the coronavirus outbreak. President Donald Trump held a press conference Monday urging the public to avoid groups of more than 10 to help fight the pandemic. The area would normally be packed this time of year because of spring break. Andrew West/The USA Today Network, The News-Press

Laughing gulls create a racket at dawn Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. There was lots of room to spread out for “social distancing” at the beach during concerns about the coronavirus. Will Dickey/Florida Times-Union

While many events in Brevard were canceled due to coronavirus precautions, many residents and visitors took to the beach near Shepard Park in Cocoa Beach over the March 14-15 weekend. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY

Hundreds of people were at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, taking advantage of the warm, sunny weather. Brevard County is closing beachside public parking — including access points, county and municipal parking areas, and parking garages — along the 72-mile Brevard County shoreline in an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Visitors to the Fort Myers Beach pier and Times Square on Fort Myers Beach take in a sunset on Monday, March 16, 2020. The large groups are starting to thin out because of the coronavirus outbreak. President Donald Trump held a press conference Monday urging the public to avoid groups of more than 10 to help fight the pandemic. The area would normally be packed this time of year because of spring break. Andrew West/The USA Today Network, The News-Press

Visitors to the Fort Myers Beach pier and Times Square on Fort Myers Beach take in a sunset on Monday, March 16, 2020. The large groups are starting to thin out because of the coronavirus outbreak. President Donald Trump held a press conference Monday urging the public to avoid groups of more than 10 to help fight the pandemic. The area would normally be packed this time of year because of spring break. Andrew West/The USA Today Network, The News-Press

Visitors to the Fort Myers Beach pier and Times Square on Fort Myers Beach take in a sunset on Monday, March 16, 2020. The large groups are starting to thin out because of the coronavirus outbreak. President Donald Trump held a press conference Monday urging the public to avoid groups of more than 10 to help fight the pandemic. The area would normally be packed this time of year because of spring break. Andrew West/The USA Today Network, The News-Press

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, Stuart Beach was busy with about 50 cars in the parking lot. Lt. Chad Rector with Martin County Fire Ocean Rescue said the beach and water were open and would remain open until ocean rescue officials were told to close the beach because of COVID-19. SARA MARINO / TCPALM

Visitors to the Fort Myers Beach pier and Times Square on Fort Myers Beach take in a sunset on Monday, March 16, 2020. The large groups are starting to thin out because of the coronavirus outbreak. President Donald Trump held a press conference Monday urging the public to avoid groups of more than 10 to help fight the pandemic. The area would normally be packed this time of year because of spring break. Andrew West/The USA Today Network, The News-Press

Julie Povlitz, of Fort Pierce, enjoys a morning in the sunshine on the beach at Pepper Park Wednesday, March 18, 2020 in Fort Pierce. “I need to get outside and it’s a great time to be outside, to get away from the news and just enjoy life, enjoy being outside,” Povlitz said. “I understand why people are scared. I’m not concerned about the virus, I’m not afraid to be near anybody.” Hundreds of people have been gathering on the beach enjoying the day in the water, as the COVID-19 virus continues to spread across the country. ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Visitors to the Fort Myers Beach pier and Times Square on Fort Myers Beach take in a sunset on Monday, March 16, 2020. The large groups are starting to thin out because of the coronavirus outbreak. President Donald Trump held a press conference Monday urging the public to avoid groups of more than 10 to help fight the pandemic. The area would normally be packed this time of year because of spring break. Andrew West/The USA Today Network, The News-Press

Here's a view of Times Square on Fort Myers Beach at 2:13 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, 2020. Fort Myers Beach mayor and business owner Anita Cereceda said "Although business is down we still have many visitors here on the island who are supporting our local business and we are grateful to them. Hopefully, responsibly, optimistic is our strategy." Andrew West/ The USA Today Network, The News-Press

Fort Myers Beach on Sunday afternoon March 15, 2020. Fort Myers Beach mayor and business owner, Anita Cereceda said "Although business is down we still have many visitors here on the island who are supporting our local business and we are grateful to them. Hopefully, responsibly, optimistic is our strategy." Andrew West/The USA Today Network, The News-Press

Fort Myers Beach on Sunday afternoon March 15, 2020. Fort Myers Beach mayor and business owner, Anita Cereceda said "Although business is down we still have many visitors here on the island who are supporting our local business and we are grateful to them. Hopefully, responsibly, optimistic is our strategy." Andrew West/The USA Today Network, The News-Press

The state’s unemployment compensation benefits were made tougher to get under former Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican-led Legislature, a move which cost the jobless but saved employers millions of dollars.

The state’s record-low, 2.8% unemployment rate in January, the latest reporting month, also will limit the number of weeks people can collect benefits, since payments are pegged to the state’s official jobless rate.

DeSantis has stopped short, though, of promising any increase in benefits for those now suddenly thrown out of work. Instead, the focus seems to be on keeping employers afloat.

“You hate to see someone go out of business because of some external event that had nothing to do with any decisions that they made,” DeSantis said.

He added that keeping Florida businesses from going under is critical to narrowing the scope of the coronavirus’ hit on the state’s economy. Keeping them “solvent” he said, will decide “whether we can bounce back quicker, or whether this is a more prolonged economic struggle.”

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Spring breakers, ignoring health guidelines, are forcing more and more cities to close beaches around Florida.
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DeSantis said he supports a statewide moratorium on evictions, something several county governments have enacted. And he also is considering an emergency declaration banning utility shutoffs, an approach Florida’s biggest utilities have already embraced.

But many Florida lawmakers, who adjourned the 2020 legislative session Thursday after passing a $93.2 billion state budget, say more drastic action is needed. Fast.

Most expect to be called back to Tallahassee in coming weeks to rewrite that budget for the year beginning July 1. It’s certain to be battered by a loss of tax collections which threaten all matters of state spending, including financing for schools, health care, social programs, aid to local governments and highway construction.

The budget includes $3.9 billion in reserves, which may help sustain spending for a while.

But more money would help; a longshot idea already proposed is legislation requiring out-of-state online businesses to collect and remit sales taxes on transactions they make with Floridians, estimated as pulling $425 million into the state treasury.

For lawmakers, there’s also a new urgency to renew a gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe, which could equal hundreds of millions in new dollars.

Lawmakers have talked of launching a grant program for businesses – something better than a loan. Amid the budget-rebalancing certain to come, there also will be a need to steer more money into public health, telehealth programs, and mental health services, whose shortfalls are being exposed by the coronavirus, some lawmakers said.

“Isolation is the exact opposite of what people struggling with mental health issues need at this time,” said Rep. Evan Jenne, R-Dania Beach.

Just last September, state economists released a three-year financial outlook for Florida which concluded, “tourism-related revenue losses pose the greatest potential risk to the economic outlook.”

Tourist spending, alone, contributes more than 13% — $3.2 billion — to Florida’s general revenue. And sales tax collections stemming from consumer spending, equal 77% of the general revenue fund at the core of financing Florida government.

“Well, that’s gone. That’s out the window,” Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, said of the three-year forecast lawmakers were working from.

Following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, tourism effectively halted in Florida and lawmakers convened in session twice that fall to cut $1.1 billion from the state budget. Included were cuts to a host of social programs and deferral of a tax cut for investors. Reserves mostly went untouched.

The 2008 housing crash also forced an immediate $1.1 billion budget cut. But the impact of the crash spanned years and forced budget reductions well into the next decade.

“When you don’t have spending, and you don’t have tourism, the losses are going to mount for all levels of government,” said Sean Snaith, a University of Central Florida economist.

“The difficulty right now is, we have no idea where the bottom of all this is,” he added.